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{{Short description|Family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine}}
{{About|the Japanese fish stock|Dashi, the classical Chinese term for Arabs and Muslims|Islam in China}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name             = ''Dashi''
| image            = Katsuobushi 02.jpg
| image_size       = 250px
| caption          = ''[[Katsuobushi]]'' shavings before being soaked in water
| alternate_name   =
| country          = [[Japan]]
| region           =
| creator          =
| course           =
| type             = [[Stock (food)|Stock]]
| served           =
| main_ingredient  =
| variations       = Kombu, shiitake, niboshi
| calories         =
| other            =
}}

[[File:Dashipackages.JPG|thumb|Some common brands of packaged instant ''dashi'']]

{{Nihongo|'''''Dashi'''''|[[wikt:出|出]][[wikt:汁|汁]], だし}} is a family of [[stock (food)|stock]]s used in [[Japanese cuisine]]. ''Dashi'' forms the base for [[miso soup]], clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as [[umami]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Umami – The Delicious 5th Taste You Need to Master!|url=http://www.molecularrecipes.com/molecular-gastronomy/umami/|work=Molecular Recipes|date=24 March 2013}}</ref> ''Dashi'' is also mixed into the flour base of some grilled foods like [[okonomiyaki]] and [[takoyaki]].

==Preparation==
The most common form of ''dashi'' is a simple broth made by heating water containing ''[[kombu]]'' (edible [[kelp]]) and ''[[kezurikatsuo]]'' (shavings of ''[[katsuobushi]]''—preserved, fermented [[skipjack tuna]]—or [[bonito]]) to near-boiling, then straining the resultant liquid; dried anchovies or sardines may be substituted.<ref>{{cite book | last = Kaneko | first = Amy | title = Let's Cook Japanese Food!: Everyday Recipes for Home Cooking | page=15}}</ref> Katsuobushi is especially high in [[sodium inosinate]] and kombu is especially high in [[glutamic acid]]s; combined, they create a synergy of [[umami]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Hosking | first = Richard | title = At the Japanese Table | series = Images of Asia | page=43 | year = 2000 | publisher =  Oxford University Press | location = New York | isbn = 978-0-195-90980-7 | oclc = 44579064 | lccn = 00058458}}</ref>

Granulated or liquid instant ''dashi'' largely replaced the homemade product in the second half of the 20th century. Homemade ''dashi'' is less popular today, even in Japan. Compared to the taste of homemade ''dashi'', instant ''dashi'' tends to have a stronger, less subtle flavor, due to the use of chemical flavor enhancers—[[Glutamic acid (flavor)|glutamates]] and [[Disodium ribonucleotides|ribonucleotides]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Ozeki | first = Erino | editor-first = Du Bois | editor-last = Christine M. | title = The world of soy | series = Food series | year = 2008 | publisher = University of Illinois Press | location = Urbana | page = 155 | chapter = Fermented soybean products and Japanese standard taste | isbn = 978-0-252-03341-4 | oclc = 177019229 | lccn = 2007046950}}</ref>

==Variations==
Other kinds of ''dashi'' are made by soaking [[Edible seaweed | kelp]], [[niboshi]], or [[shiitake]] in water for many hours or by heating them in near-boiling water and straining the resulting broth.
* ''Kombu dashi'' is made by soaking or gently simmering [[Edible seaweed | kelp]] in water; soaking is traditional and fit for making baby food while simmering is a more modern practice. Kombu dashi becomes bitter and unpalatable when boiled.
* ''Niboshi dashi'' is made by pinching off the heads and entrails of small dried [[Sardines as food|sardines]] (to prevent bitterness) and soaking the rest in water. Sometimes the heads are used as not everyone finds them to be bitter, and the fish are occasionally toasted to evaporate any volatile unpleasant fishy odors.
* ''Shiitake dashi'' is made by soaking dried shiitake mushrooms in water. Dried shiitake is preferred over fresh due to a stronger presence of savory or umami flavors.

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
* [[List of soups]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book
 | last = Hosking
 | first = Richard
 | title = A Dictionary of Japanese Food
 | publisher = Tuttle
 | year = 1995
 | isbn = 0-8048-2042-2
 | url-access = registration
 | url = https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofjapa00hosk
 }}

{{Cookbook}}
{{Wikibooks|Cookbook:Dashi}}
{{Commons cat|Dashi}}

{{Japanese food and drink}}

[[Category:Fish and seafood soups]]
[[Category:Japanese condiments]]
[[Category:Umami enhancers]]
[[Category:Stock (food)]]